Bolshevik–Leninist Party of India, Ceylon and Burma
During the remainder of World War II, the BLPI influenced the trade union and student movements in several cities.
Their efforts to direct the Quit India disruption into a revolutionary one brought significant reprisals, with members forced into hiding.
Senanayake tabled a resolution in the State Council, which was the unicameral legislature for Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), established in 1931 by the Donoughmore Constitution, suggesting an approach of "whole-hearted support" to the British government.
[6] Through the rampantly increasing striking from the Mool Oya Estate incident, a workers' council was formed suggesting that repercussions of the deepest seriousness in India may come from any response.
Following the incident, Colonial police forces used a heavy hand on the tea estates, leading to strong feelings of sentiment and discontent within the workers.
[7] Sensing the growing anger against them, the LSSP was banned on 18 June, and key party activists —Philip Gunawardena, N.M. Perera, Edmund Samarakkody and Colvin R. de Silva — were detained and imprisoned.
[10] Through discussion, the Indian and Ceylonese trotskyists established a preliminary Committee for the Formation of the Bolshevik - Leninist Party of India.
The discussions for this took place through underground meetings in Kandy in December 1940 and March 1941 and set the stage for a sole Trotskyist party for India.
[20] During World War II, the BLPI remained relatively small – a large contrast to the high expectations of a Subcontinent-wide political revolutionary party.
[22] During the remainder of World War II, the BLPI influenced the trade union and student movements in several cities.
Their efforts to direct the Quit India disruption into a revolutionary one brought significant reprisals, with members forced into hiding.
[26] The BLPI released details of issues within the Indian National Congress; these notably included its close connection to the landlords and its ignorance of promises made during the mass civil disobedience movements in the earlier part of the century.
This position again changed with the betrayal and subsequent invasion of the USSR by the Nazis, after which the CPI advocated for a British success.
[29] Following the end of the Second World War, it was determined that the Ceylonese Lanka Sama Samaja Party should be separated from the BLPI.
[31][32] From the initial flashpoint in Bombay, the revolt spread and found support throughout British India, from Karachi to Calcutta, and ultimately came to involve over 20,000 sailors in 78 ships and shore establishments.
[46] The remainder of the BLPI in India was concentrated in Calcutta, Madras and Madurai, where the party was active in trade union work.
